As way of introducing this topic of Wastewater Disposal in Haiti, we should emphasize
that, in order to choose the appropriate system in a country like Haiti, technical, social
as well as economic or political considerations have to be made:

Public health considerations have to take into account not only the individual systems
of the private houses, but the public places, like market places, schools.

Public participation in all phases of the project, design construction and maintenance.
Once the collective contribution of a community is guaranteed, institutional arrangements
have to be setup for the sustainability of the project.

Environmental quality criteria, taking into consideration the viability and all the
possible impacts of the project on the groundwater and on the air.

In Haiti, the economic considerations involve the lowest dependence on imported products
like sinks and W.C. toilet bowls, and even the maintenance tools of cleaning trucks
equipped with vacuum pumps.

Wastewater Disposal Systems in Haiti

Basically two possibilities exist as wastewater disposal in Haiti:

Either the collective disposal through small sewer systems including a primary treatment
plant.

Or the private disposal system through individual holding tanks, cesspools and septic
tanks.

Technically speaking, sanitary sewer system by gravity or under pressure would represent
the best available technology for Haiti, and such a system could be used in the brand new
rich suburban neighborhoods.

Two historical cases come to mind:

i In 1972, a complete system of sanitary sewers, separate from
stormwater sewers, was designed by the
American firm called Engineering Science Inc.,
but finally the idea of a separate sanitary sewer system was
abandoned.

ii And, as a matter of fact, a recent upper - middle class community
named BELVIL, meaning PRETTY
TOWN -was originally conceived with a separate
sanitary sewer and a small primary treatment plant.
Political troubles of 1991-1994 had forced a
change of course, and all the houses were finally built with
Septic Tanks.

But so far, no sanitary sewers had been built in the country because of
unreliable water supply or a practical problem of maintenance cost, the socio-cultural
habits of the population that would require an appropriate environmental education
program, the investment costs related to the construction of such sanitary sewer and
treatment systems. The country has a very low water consumption ratio.

Due to the unavailability or the inadequacy of piped water supply in
Haiti, the household wastewater collection systems are the common practices: which is in
accordance UNEP- CREPS with Decision Tree for Appropriate Sewage Collection.

However, in the long run, small public or private sanitary sewer
systems could be constructed.

Individual Wastewater Disposal Systems in Haiti

PIT Latrines

Construction of latrines with drywalls had been
the most used in Haiti. Even in the richest private houses, it exists latrines in the
backyard for the servants. The local technology is well established. The maintenance
process is also well established. Good ventilation exists all year long. The lifespan of
such a holding tank is more than five years for a family of ten people.

These latrines can have the following shapes:

The simplest kind is one holding tank which is a temporary structure, and could be
ventilated or not. It has a prefabricated cover with a piece of pipe for ventilation. Once
it is full to a height of two-third (2/3), it is generally filled and covered up. The slab
is then removed and transferred to a new location.

The most advanced type is a double tank, well ventilated. It requires no real
maintenance. It avoids contamination problems and is really affordable by the populations.
The major disadvantage of this system lies in getting the proper sizing of the tank.

A regular maintenance schedule is necessary with proper dumping of the resulting solid
waste.

Aqua-Privy or Pit Latrine with Impervious Walls

In Haiti, this PIT latrine is used when the groundwater is relatively
high: this is what is called in English aqua-privy.

Even though it functions as a latrine, it is not relying on ground
infiltration of liquid wastewater.

The aqua-privy has a performance lower than the septic tank, but it
could be integrated later in a sewer system.

Septic Tank

In Haiti, the septic tanks represent in the towns what the latrines
constitute in the rural areas. The sinks, the toilets and the W.C. are connected into the
septic tank.

The tank, with one or two compartments, separates the wastewaster from
the sludge. The sludge compartment can be cleaned every two-year. The liquid is directed
in an infiltration well, and could also be connected eventually to another system for
infiltration in the surrounding ground.

In Haiti, many institutions had developed their own septic tank system.
An effort is being made by a public enterprise dealing with social housing. The adopted
system had been well tested so far. Developed into modules called "sanitary
blocks", they had been used by housing projects in Haitian slums. The problems faced
by the system are related to sanitary education, ignorance and maintenance cost for the
community.

Construction of Community Sanitary Facilities

Some Public toilets have been constructed in some areas like the public places, market
places, hospitals and churches.

Public sanitary facilities are necessary in HAITI, in the neighborhoods with very high
population density like the slum areas of the biggest towns.

In two slums of Port-au-Prince, namely Cité Soleil and Drouillard, public showers are
added to the public toilet facilities.

Considerations About Industrial Wastewaters

In Haiti, where the industrial sector is not big, and mostly
concentrated in Port-au-Prince, we are dealing mostly with manufactures, and factories
concentrated in industrial parks. Those factories use regular septic tanks for their
waste.

However, some industries, like soap factories, pharmaceutical
industries use their own treatment processes for neutralizing their wastes, before dumping
them in the street stormwaters.

Role of the Ministry of Environment (MOE)

The Ministry of Environment is not yet involved in monitoring the treatment of the
sanitary wastewaters, from private or industrial sources.

The MOE is considering the introduction and the common use of the W.C. watersavers using
only 1.5 gallons of water instead of the classic 5.0 gallons.

The MOE is working on specific norms for wastewater pretreatment and treatment, for
domestic and for industrial communities.

The Environmental Impacts of community housing projects as well as industrial projects
have to be studied, particularly for the groundwater pollution of their liquid wastes.

General Prospects

1

Settling or sedimentation tanks similar to the Imhoff tanks
could be used sooner or later in Haiti.

2 Small separate sanitary sewers with facilities could be tried in some
suburban areas with good water supplies and modern
toilet facilities like water closets (W.C.).

3 In Port-au-Prince, portable toilets hare been introduced, whenever
there is a big crowd for a special event, like the yearly
Carnival, or a public concert or church event.

4. In some rural areas, aerated
lagoons could be tried out.

5. Concerning the industrial wastes,
they should be considered on a case-by-case basis.

6. Any new industrial park will take
into account the sanitary facilities for the workers as well as the disposal of any
industrial
wastes.

7. The role of the Ministry of the
Environment will be important as the official institution dealing with monitoring and
establishing norms for groundwater pollution
prevention.

8. The MOE should lobby for the future
ratification of international convention dealing with industrial wastewater or with any
persistent or non-biodegradable products.

9. In the fight against pollution by
wastewater in Haiti, the MOE is studying an interconnection or symbiosis between some
Conventions ratified by Haiti. And, as a National
Focal Point, we are considering an interface of such Conventions, in their
relations with wastewater disposal and treatment.

Pollution of water resources, by way of the groundwater pollution which is an objective
of the CCD or Convention to Counter Desertification.

Coastal pollution of the sea, of the coral reef, and the marine species (Convention upon
Biodiversity)

Pollution by dangerous wastes (covered under the Basel Convention)

Considering the precarious situation of Wastewater disposal and Management in Haiti, the
Ministry of Environment has been working for the official signing and ratifying of the
Carthagen Convention. In the meantime, the MOE will participate in the future proceedings
of the Wider Caribbean Region on that subject. The MOE is also showing a strong interest
in the Protocol to Marine Pollution from Land Bused Sources and Activities (or LBSMP
protocol). As a follow-up to the CEP Technical Report #40 we have improved on the table
2-3 of the report.

Conclusion

As a final word to this presentation, I would like to emphasize that
the topic of wastewater disposal and treatment in Haiti, is part of an overall focus by
the Ministry of Environment, on its way to preparing a National Environmental Action Plan,
or NEAP for Haiti.

In fact, one of the themes already covered by a consultant concerns
this matter.

Finally a specific Service of the MOE is the Service of Waste
Management and Pollution Control which will be drafting criteria and impact statements
norms to prevent and fight against groundwater pollution by domestic and industrial
wastes.

Thank you very much for your patience and your understanding of my deep
French accent.